Your ShelfYour Projects

South Carolina

17%

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 19, 1911

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 88, No. 42.

Read the full edition

South Carolina

By W. H. Branson

Last week Brother J. A. Brown and wife were arraigned before a magistrate and six jurymen to answer a charge of Sabbath-breaking. The trial was set for September 23, and Brother A. H. Evers and the writer were present to defend the case. The circumstances which led to their arrest were these: The weather had been bad for some days previous, and the corn fodder, cotton, etc., in the vicinity of the Battle Ground church were wasting. Sunday being a clear day, the early morning found many of the farmers in that neighborhood out in their fields trying to save their crops, and among them Brother and Sister Brown. Several of these were closer to the public road and nearer to places of residence than were these two Sabbath-keepers, but it seems that they were the only ones who in any way disturbed the peace. They were quietly picking cotton in the field, while some others, among them the constable himself, had their teams at work hauling fodder to the barns.
From the first, it was very apparent that it was a case of religious persecution, and that the only real fault they could find with these two persons was that they had not worked the day before also. The law of South Carolina says that persons are not to perform labor of their ordinary calling on “the Lord’s day, commonly called the Sabbath.” When the writer arose with Bible in hand to address the jury and give the reasons for our contending that Brother Brown and his wife had not violated the Sabbath law, the opposing attorney immediately objected to the use of the Bible as evidence, and the judge ruled that it was incompetent evidence, and must not be referred to in the trial. It was stated that the question as to which day is the Sabbath is to be decided by the State of South Carolina, and not by the Bible: that for God’s law to be introduced as evidence God must be present in person, else it would be only hearsay or supposition.
The only thing left for us to do was to improve the opportunity of presenting the true principles of religious liberty, and both Brother Evers and myself did so. The trial lasted about two hours, and a verdict of “guilty” was returned by the jury.
The writer remained with the Battle Ground church over Sabbath and Sunday, and we were glad to see that the trial had resulted in creating in the hearts of some of those who were present an interest in the truth. These eagerly listened to the preaching of the word. One family promised to obey, and there are other interested ones who we hope will obey soon.
The brethren here are arranging to sell their little church building and to erect a larger one. The new building will be started about the first of December, and will probably be located near the town of Chesnee. The Sabbath the writer spent at Battle Ground, two persons were baptized, and three united with the church. W. H. BRANSON.